


Time Passes Slowly

by FeralCoffeeBug



Series: Time Heals but Never Breaks [1]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Time Heals, Angst, Antagonist is an oc, Gen, I own only a few of the ocs uses, Kingsmolds, Lost kin fight, Major character death is for later chapters, Minor Original Character(s), Pale King is alive, Speedrunner ghost, The Hollow Knight is Called Luna, The Knight Is Not Hollow (Hollow Knight), The Knight is Called Ghost (Hollow Knight), The Knight is Lord of Shades (Hollow Knight), The Pale King is a Bad Parent (Hollow Knight), They/Them Pronouns for The Knight (Hollow Knight), They/Them Pronouns for The Vessels (Hollow Knight), Time Heals Au, eventually, white palace
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:26:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29969118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeralCoffeeBug/pseuds/FeralCoffeeBug
Summary: Ghost is called by something, something they cannot describe nor can they ignore. They find themself drawn to a kingdom that seems deserted and taken over by something yellow. Can they find what this thing calling for them before it's too late? Who will they meet along the way?Is this place really that empty when there's bugs scattered all around? Enemies and friends alike, who can Ghost trust? Who will leave them to die once they become an inconvenience? How long will it take to save their new friends?Will they get saved at the same time?(Time Heals Prologues!)
Series: Time Heals but Never Breaks [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2204265
Comments: 26
Kudos: 5





	1. A Kingdom Left To Rot

**Author's Note:**

> It's finally here! An au of mine that I've been working on for a long long time with my friends! All Oc's used in this fic belong to my friend Primal Bane Of Lettuce on Amino or they are my own ocs!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this first chapter!

The vessel wouldn’t say that they were nervous about the thing that pulled them to this kingdom. They wouldn’t say that it caused their void to rumble uncomfortably. But they would not hesitate to jump down into the kingdom below. Something was crying out to them, something was asking them to come. Two different somethings, both here. And they both seemed very important.

And so they crashed down into the floor below. It didn’t hurt, it never did. They would push on, one of the somethings were more important for some reason, they would help that something that was crying out for help. Something told them that helping this something would answer to the other something as well.

And so they took their feet, and they walked. They walked for a long while, not even looking at the glowing tablets lining the pathway they had found, they didn’t have  _ time _ to stop, they had to  _ move _ . They had to save whatever was calling for help. They felt attached to that something. They felt like they cared deeply for that something.

They needed to protect ~~their younger sibling~~ that something from the other thing that threatened to snuff it out. They tried to focus on the one crying out for help and all they were met with was a blazing, blinding light that hurt, hurt everything in their void body.

Eventually they made to yet another ledge, a scene laid out across their vision. It seemed oddly hollow, like it was missing something.

A quaint little town down below made them stop for a moment, looking down at it in confusion. They hadn’t seen something look so….so  _ dead _ before. They brushed it off and jumped down into the town without another thought. They needed to hurry. Their void barely would let them breath from how much it pushed them to run run  _ run run help them help them. _

The town was quiet for now, they didn’t mind that. They kept their gaze forward, focusing only on the path in front of them...and they jumped down the well. They let out a breath as they walked forward. The crumbling of rocks under their bare feet calmed them. Everything was new but they had to hurry. And they were off.

They seemed to know where to go, they didn’t know how they did but...they did. Their feet wouldn’t stop, and their void rumbled in unease as they ran through this place without even talking to any kinds of bugs. Their feet lead the way and as such they would follow. 

They stopped paying attention to where they were going, stopped paying attention other than what was needed to walk and needed to strike foes down that tried to kill them. They had to go quickly. The thing calling out for help has gone quiet, and they feared what happened to it. They had to get there before whatever that something was lost hope. They had to...they….

The other thing seemed to quiet down a bit the longer they were in the kingdom, they took that as a good sign. It didn’t bother them as much as the first one dropping to silence. They weren’t attached to that one.

They talked to quite a few bugs, killed quite a few. They met a greedy old bug named sly who they bought a lantern from. 

They had met a red cloaked bug that monologed at them for a while before throwing a needle straight at their skull. That was the first time they had woken up on a bench, and wrestled the ghost of regrets that whispered to them that they left something, that they let someone go when they shouldn’t have. That they caused the downfall of someone they cared for. That they hurt that being. That they were the cause of it's pain. That they could have stopped it.

They didn’t realize until later that there was void dripping down their mask as their nail sliced straight through the midnight black colored vessel like ghost.

They were going to get the mantis lords, it was one of the places they could get to without anything. They didn’t know what it was called but they wanted in.

With an intensive battle soon finished, they came out victorious, their mask was close to breaking. But they focused on their wounds and in a few moments their mask mended itself. They didn’t quite understand it, but they weren’t about to question it quite yet.

And now they were able to walk into the area of the kingdom beyond. They kept eye contact with the lords as they walked. At seeing them bow, they quickly bowed back.

With the respect paid back to them, the small vessel continued onwards, into the darkness that coated every surface. It was so dark, and they clutched the lumafly lanturn to their chest. The glow didn’t reflect off the black shelled part of them, the voice consuming the light.

It was their only light, it was damp and cold here. They pushed on without any more hesitance.

“Oh little one! What are you doing down there!” A soft voice echoed from the ceiling, and The vessel’s gaze snapped upwards. On the ceiling was a spider, a weaver. The vessel blinked, but it was unseeable on their mask. They simply looked as if they were blankly looking up to the spider.

Said spider dropped down to the floor in front of The vessel. She was  _ tall _ , then again The vessel was in fact very small. The vessel didn’t hate this fact. 

“Where might you be going, small one?” She asked as she crouched down to The vessel, a caring look in her eyes.

  
The vessel looked to their hands before raising them and speaking in sign, _ ”Do you know any way to get past that big door by the other side of this hallway?” _

The spider smiled and picked the small child-like bug into two of her arms,”Sure thing! I think what you are looking for is the tram pass. I think there is one in the failed trams.” She made sure she had a secure grip on them before taking off.

They were going  _ really _ fast, The vessel couldn’t make out the surroundings as they moved. So they just held onto the spider tighter and tucked their face into their lanturn.

By the time they stopped and The vessel got a hold of themself, stopping their shaking from how dizzy they got, a small ticket slipped into one of their hands and they were off again. The vessel let out a loud chitter at being jostled so fast after calming down. They heard a soft apology before they were set down. 

“There you are little one, Do you have a name?” She asked,”My name is Stilte. I apologize for moving so fast, you have to in Deepnest.”

The vessel looked up to her before looking at their hands. The red cloaked vessel had called them Ghost, they liked that name. “Ghost.” They signed out the letters.

“Well Ghost, I’m glad that I could help, however I need to go back to help my family.” She smiled before patting them atop the head and turning around,”Be safe! I feel like you’re going to do many great things!”

Ghost nodded before turning and running. They had slipped in the tram pass into the thing that asked for it. The door slid open and they slipped in. They pressed the button and when the tram roared to life they walked over to the bench and sat down on it. They waited for it to come to a stop. And eventually it had.

They jumped up to push their way out quickly, running past a brown and red moth that seemed to brighten up at seeing Ghost. Ghost did not give this moth the time of day and continued the descent down.

Eventually they were met with a spike pit, a bench sitting beside them. They looked at the spikes. There was no way to get across.

They heard someone clear their throat and they quickly turned around. They were greeted to the brown moth from earlier puffing out his chest. Ghost blinked yet once again their mask was blank as ever.

“Greetings small bug!” The moth declared in a loud voice, “I am Emperor Goldenclaw the Mighty, conqueror and unifier of this fallen kingdom, and master of the art of soul magic!” Ghost for some reason did not believe that this weak looking moth was the emperor of this kingdom. Yet they couldn’t stop him from continuing. They could barely squeak half the time.

“Unfortunately, my kingdom doesn't have many residents these days, which makes it quite good that I've run into a... decently civilized bug such as you appear to be.” Ghost felt offended, not for themself, but for what other poor saps had to deal with this moth. 

“I know not of your origin, but with those rags I am unsure if it would be anything worth telling to begin with, so I'll spare you the hassle of telling it.” This Goldenclaw seemed to think this a mercy for Ghost, Ghost would disagree if they could,”Now, small creature, is there anything that you are capable of? Surely to survive this long in these wild ruins you must have some kind of skill.”

Ghost pulled their nail off their back, ready to hit him in the knees. They focused soul into their blade to make the hit harder.

However they weren’t able to get their plan done before Goldenclaw started talking once more.

“Now, I know that you don't possess enough power to rival my own abilities, but any kind of soul magic would be at least somewhat impressive given how rare the art seems to be among the sparse survivors of this kingdom's collapse. In fact, many bugs without any use of soul have died off completely, which just goes to prove that soul truly is superior to brute force.”

They could bet that they could take him down by punching him. Maybe he would attempt to do that at a later date.

“Now, there are a few nuisances that survived without it, and have been persistently denying my attempts to restore this kingdom, but I suppose every ruler has such problems.” Gary seemed to glare off to the side, Ghost waited to hear who ever could oppose this moth (sarcasm). Luckily Goldenclaw soon gave them the answer,”The tribes from the wastes fight like the beasts they are, and actively try to halt the restoration of this kingdom. Do they wish to see this kingdom in ruins, to deny these lands the guidance of their rightful ruler? I am a much better ruler than they could ever hope to be, and soon enough I'll have this kingdom restored to its old glory, with myself on the throne! After all, ruling a kingdom is a fitting reward for restoring it, wouldn't you agree small creature?”

Ghost could not agree before they were picked up. Gary had his claws wrapped around under their arms,”You are trying to get across this pit? I shall help you get across, then maybe we could see what you are truly capable small creature!”

Ghost went to object, but realized that this may be the only way to get across. With a heavy flap of wings, Goldenclaw landed on the other side, setting Ghost done once more,”Let us continue! After all you are quite lucky that one like myself has deemed you worthy of even standing next to myself!”

Ghost shrugged Gary off and continued walking past into the other room. They made it past the mawlaks rather quickly and proke the wall for the pathway to get more soul from the crawlers on the path just a ways back. 

After they ran back to look what was going on before that. And on the inside there sat a being that looked oddly like themself, yet there was a caved in part of their mask with two horns on the other side.

Ghost paused inside the room, they had been overwhelmed with feelings of that this was family, and something had happened to them. They stepped into the arena and the door slammed shut behind them. They jumped harshly as they looked back to the closed gate. Their eyes caught a skittering orange flash and they looked back to their sibling. Their eyes were met with bugs crawling into the head of their fallen sibling.

Morbid, Ghost stepped back, almost flattening against the closed gate behind them. They didn’t move when the other vessel charged at them, a blade cut through their void and they jumped over their now dead sibling.

...Sibling? 

They didn’t have time to debate this with themself. They had moved to dodge the next attack by digging their nail in the broken vessel’s own shoulder as they passed above the other. This fight went on for a while, both sides taking considerate damage. 

Ghosts nail struck home and their vision blacked out. Not before they saw the other fall over and the orange jelly like substance spill out of the hole in their head.


	2. A Stolen Item

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goldenclaw looked visibly offended by the spider hybrid that stood in his way, staring her down with anger as he focused. A white substance seemed to whip around his claw, seeming to be ready to attack Hornet. "I have business to attend to here, half-breed, so I suggest you step out of my way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goldenclaws actual name is Gary, also yes Gary is an asshole

The next thing Ghost was aware of was waking up on the bench that they saw when they met Goldenclaw. They quickly looked around for Goldenclaw, or a way to get across. When they found nothing they sat down against the floor and covered their face with their arms as they sat on the floor.

They must have gotten a nail in their own body on that last hit. 

They opened their hand and closed it while looking at it. A few moments of silence passed by before it was rudely broken by a moth. Goldenclaw landed on the floor,”Ah little creature I see you are still alive, somehow.” The somehow seemed distasteful. 

Ghost saw the glittering wings sparkle softly on Goldrenclaw’s back, they reached out with their tiny hands for the wings. They felt like those weren’t Goldenclaw’s, and that they were theirs before they’d ever be his.

"Oh, you want these, small one? I do believe that I found them first, and that makes them mine. It would be quite rude to take something of mine, especially since I'm already using it." Goldenclaw spread his wings for a moment, looking out at them to see how the monarch wings looked when attached to his own. He seemed to enjoy the new look, or perhaps he just enjoyed having something that Ghost didn't.

Ghost’s gaze seemed to narrow at Goldenclaw’s show of the wings. They weren’t decorative, they had a use but on Goldenclaw they were useless since he already had wings. The pointed to his wings then to the monarch's wings.

"Besides, they fit me much better than they'd fit you”, Ghost would almost be offended if their anger wasn’t clouding all other emotions. They would stay to hear this moth out though. Goldenclaw seemed to not notice the vessel’s anger, continuing on with his spiral,”And a mighty emperor like myself deserves a cloak fitting of such royalty. Just know that you have my appreciation for opening the path so I may find this glorious piece of apparel, and my appreciation is quite a rare boon for simple bugs to receive." 

Goldenclaw paused, looking over at Ghost as he thought. The bug-like creature had their firsts clenched under their cloak as they watched Goldenclaw. "I suppose I can give you these wings, if you have something of equal value to trade. I highly doubt it with what you're wearing now.”

Ghost moved to hold onto their cloak and looked up to Goldenclaw, who nodded to his own statment,”Really, those rags look even older than some of these ruins, it's almost insulting to yourself to continue wearing them around. Unless your intent is to carry around a piece of this kingdom's ancient history, I'd give that cloak back to whatever old corpse you got it from."

Ghost promptly decided that this wasn’t worth it, they would just get the wings some other way. And with that they turned on their heel and stormed out of the room. They climbed up out of the basin. They would continue looking around for something to help them find out a way to help that voice out. There had to be something….

Right? 

They shook off their uncertainty as they continued pushing onwards. They once again, let their feet guide them. They ignored whatever was happening in the City of Tears with some sort of meeting between bugs gone wrong and a bug slamming into a wall.

...Yea they didn’t have time for that. 

They turned on their heel and let their feet guide them once more. They eventually made it to some place that had a lot of graves. They stopped walking, not by their own choice mind you, because a white barrier surrounded them and they walked right into it.

A high squeak escaped them as they fell backwards onto the floor. They shook off their supprise and shock before looking around the area. There was a tablet, softly glowing letters, and brightly glowing walls surrounding them. They stood up and walked to the tablet, hoping that there would be some way to get out of here.

They were able to read the tablet, if only just barely. It noted down three bugs, Lurien the Watcher, Monomon the Teacher, and Herrah the Beast. Interesting titles.

That was Ghost’s last thoughts before they felt their body collapse under them, hitting the floor with a soft thump.

In the next moment they shot up, pushing against the floor. There surroundings seemed to have changed. That was odd. It was bright and golden, yet still soft. It didn’t feel right but it felt safe. 

A glowing moth touched down on the platform with them, a graceful movement. Their wings fluttered before they motioned for the little shadow to follow it. As the moth took off platforms formed in its wake. 

Ghost was quick to follow after it. It seemed much more trustworthy then the other moth. They soon were following after it, landing gracefuly and pushing off. They would be giggling if they could. They could almost forget all the responsibilities put onto their shoulders. They could almost forget that they couldn’t be a kid.

They soon reached the end, and there was a glowing orb. The moth seemed to encoracge them to pick it up, to reach for it. And so the little ghost had. They soon pulled out the orb, holding it up to the sky. 

In a bright flash the orb transformed into a nail, and the next thing they knew they fell to the ground and everything went white. They were getting really tired of meeting the floor at this point. 

When they pushed themself up for the fifth time today, they were met with a comfy looking corner. They jumped when they heard a chittering noise and their mask snapped to where the noise came from. 

There sat a moth, they looked old. “Oh so you’ve finally awakened. Those dreamers sure didn’t want you getting out of the dream realm did they?” She seemed to wait before realizing they couldn’t talk back.

“No matter, little one I see you have the blade of dreams. Use it to see things that were once hidden. If you were to bring it back to me once you have gathered the essence of this kingdom I will reward you and upgrade the nail for you.”

The moth smiled,”Ah yes I forgot to introduce myself, I am Seer, one of the few moths left from the Radiance’s tribe.”

Ghost didn’t know why the name “Radiance” stuck out to them, and yet it had. They would love to stay and listen to her stories, as she seemed to know quite a few.

Yet the thing crying for help suddenly came back. They clench their chest in pain, void started trailing down their face as they crouched over.

A soft claw rested on their shoulder and they looked up. Their tears were wiped away,”Go on little ghost, you are destined for great things, I can feel it. You are tied into this old kingdom more than either of us know.”

Ghost stood up with her help. They could stand on their own once she helped get them to their feet. They nodded before moving to walk out. The dream nail… What an odd name for an item.

Eventually they made it to somewhere in the City, They found a hole in some water that they could swim through and they did so. On the other side they looked up. A snow like substance fell on their mask and they decided that they wanted to know what was creating that ash.

And so they climbed. They first climbed up, then back down and to the left. They explored so much. They found a nailmaster and learned the nailart. And finally they found something. They used a primal aspid to get up onto a ledge and went up. Eventually they had to use yet another to get up onto the next platform. And so they did. 

They sat at the bench they found before running to go to explore the other side of the area. The wind seemed to be blowing from below. Their excitedness mellowed down, diminished when they heard the loud and proud voice of the one and only Goldenclaw.

Ghost jumped down, landing on their hands and looking up to see Goldenclaw talking to Hornet. They walked into the arena, but it seems that they were unnoticed for now.

Goldenclaw looked visibly offended by the spider hybrid that stood in his way, staring her down with anger as he focused. A white substance seemed to whip around his claw, seeming to be ready to attack Hornet. "I have business to attend to here, half-breed, so I suggest you step out of my way.”

Hornet scoffed and held out her needle,”You have no business here. What rests here isn’t yours. Nor is it mine. Now leave before I decide to put you magic to test.”

Goldenclaw did not seem to enjoy this from the one in his way, “What I need to do here is very important to the rebuilding of my kingdom, and I won't show you any mercy if you try to stop me here." Goldenclaw seemed to finish what he was doing, and a lance of pure white formed in his hand. 

He pointed it at Hornet and spread his wings in an attempt to intimidate the much smaller bug. "Alright half-breed, I think it's about time you scuttle back into a cave with your dear beastly family, since an outsider like you has no chance of standing in the way of an emperor.”

He didn’t get a response from Hornet past a slight tilt of the head, like a raised antenna in disbelief that he was attempting to threaten her. Goldenclaw seemed to not like this either, anger leaking into his voice, “Do you understand, half-breed? You are up against a foe you cannot hope to defeat, and yet I am merciful enough to give you a chance to run."

“Your threats remind me of the schoolspiders, I will not run so you might as well quit the attempts and bring your blade to a clash with my needle. I shall prove that you cannot best me in the way you think, nor in any other way.”

Goldenclaw stepped towards Hornet, gripping his weapon with a scowl. "You seem to take your heritage from wild beasts, although I initially had hope that you'd act slightly more civilized. If you choose to act like some beast from the caves, then I won't hesitate to put you down like one... Besides, I'm probably doing this kingdom a favor by removing your unnatural biology from it!"

Ghost let out a chitter of distaste at what Goldenclaw said. 

Ghost realizes that they just gave away their position, Hornet moved to say something but Goldenclaw interrupted her.

Goldenclaw turned over towards Ghost, the anger from before not leaving his face for even a moment. "And as for you, Runt, are you even alive? I've seen more emotion from a corpse, and with this infection going on some of the corpses have actually been a bit more expressive than you've managed to show!”

Ghost felt thoroughly offended, not that it showed. They couldn’t help that they were made like this. Their mask just didn’t move, they still felt things, they still had emotions.

And yet Goldenclaw continued on, “Not only that, but the only real expression I've seen from you was extremely rude! You know, those wings were rightfully mine, and yet you seemed upset when I claimed them as such!”

Ghost shook their head, the wings were  _ not  _ Goldenclaws. Once again the moth ignored their reactions, Ghost was half certain he didn’t pay attention to anyone else but himself.

“Despite this rudeness, I was willing to help you, to aid in your exploration of my kingdom like the gracious ruler I am. Is this how you repay me Runt? By turning away and refusing to acknowledge my help? By continuing to be cold and unresponsive to anything I try to tell you?" Goldenclaw took flight, unsure of who to level his lance at for a few seconds. 

Hornet let out a yell,”Do  _ not _ insult my sibling like that.” She hissed at him, and just for this he kept his weapon on Hornet. However he was not done talking to the small vessel, “With how you've been acting, it seems like you're completely dead on the inside.” Ghost readied their nail. Goldenclaw saw this from the corner of his eye and continued, “If you don't get out of my way, I'll be sure to make the outside match."

Hornet launched her needle at Goldenclaw, who blocked it with the lance. Goldenclaw quickly formed another and threw it back at her. He seemed to fall quite during battle to focus on hurting Hornet.

“You don’t get to threaten Ghost like that Gary!” She shouted and threw a spike ball at him.

Gary was a lot easier to say, so Ghost decided that they’d change to Gary.

Gary glared at him,”Little welp, that hurt.” He chucked the lance at Hornet, who dodged out of the way. However, as she dodged away the lance seemed to explore in a burst of soul that caught her in the leg. 

She hissed, and Ghost…

Ghost?

Where did Ghost go?

This is why you don’t get distracted by battles huh.

A loud crash happened, and both Gary and Hornet froze to look at the wyrm corpse. Hornet jumped up and entered the corpse at a run. Ghost must have gotten into the corpse and grabbed the brand.

Soon enough Hornet emerged with Ghost tucked under her arm. She set them down and looked around. She had gotten a few good hits on the moth and yet… 

Gary was nowhere to be found.

Hornet sighed and set Ghost down. The small vessel looked up to her, and she looked back to them. 

She sighed,”I know what you need to do, however if I may make one request little Ghost.”

Ghost nodded, showing her to go on.

“Please, if there is any way to avoid it. Please don’t kill my mother. I’m hoping that if there is another way, you will take it.”

Ghost looked to her before nodding. They didn’t want Hornet to be sad. 

They jumped when four arms wrapped around them, but soon relaxed into the hug and wrapped their two arms around their sister. 

They felt two spots of wet on their shell, they looked up to Hornet. They were surprised to see soft tears running down Hornet’s face, “Thank you, Ghost.” She buried her face in their shoulder. 

They were shocked with the immediate realization that, just like them, she too was not able to grow up like a normal child. That she too had too much on her plate for a teenager like herself.

They put their chin atop her shoulder and wrapped their arms around her tighter, burring their own face into her shoulder.

They both stayed like this for a few moments, but soon enough Hornet pulled away from her sibling. She seemed to attempt to smile,”I will wait for you.” She said softly, and Ghost nodded.

They would turn and run off, and Hornet would disappear from their line of sight by using her needle to soar through the air faster than they could run.

Throughout the next few minutes they would traverse throughout the entirety of Hallownest and took down any lingering ghosts that attempted to fight them. They sat by Marrissa for a few moments before getting up. They soon made it back up to dirtmouth. There they saw Gary, and Gary hadn’t seen them yet. 

He was talking at Hornet, who honestly seemed done with him. With Gary distracted, Ghost snuck up behind him before jumping on his back. They quickly took the monarch wings before running off once more. 

They could hear Gary shouting about how they were a runt, they didn’t care. They dropped down into the well and was greeted with a blast of something. They ran and dodged past everything they could before making it to a stag station.

They had made it into a place that seemed to be the ruins of something important. They saw dream particles float up. They pulled out the glowing purple nail and struck the pile of armor with certainty.

A bright white light filled their vision and they were knocked back, meeting the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yessss we are going into white palace! I hope I am not speeding this along too fast it’s just that these *need* to be gone through before I get to the real parts of the au.
> 
> I haven’t even gotten to Luna yet, or quirrel. But we are getting the kingsoul first.


	3. An Old Soul Weeps Silently

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> t loomed over little Ghost, whispering to them that this was all their fault. Angered whisperings by a hurt soul. Hurt by one that would never repay for his crimes.
> 
> Something that reminded them of their own shell.

With the light that blinded them temporarily they had trouble getting back up. However they quickly had, looking back to where they were knocked back from. The armor was animated and seemed to be encasing something. It was inhuman, a creaking and cracking noise of something that should not move, moving. 

It loomed over little Ghost, whispering to them that this was all their fault. Angered whisperings by a hurt soul. Hurt by one that would never repay for his crimes.

Something that reminded them of their own shell. 

They quickly brought their nail upon the shell of the bug that seemed to not even react to them hitting it. They faltered, stepping back before jumping over the next attempted hit. They had to be quick, they had to or else they would meet their end at the hands of something that they were terrified of at the current moment.

They focused their soul in their chest before jumping up just barely and hitting the floor with their first. Soul flared up around them and pushed out, wounding the silver armored thing. They pulled out their nail and rushed up to it, their nail glinting off the armor but they felt soul gather around them once more.

Perfect

They brought that soul to use, jumping up and using their fist to punch down on the armored being. They both slammed into the floor and the magic once more flared around them, pushing the thing deeper into the floor. The armor crumpled under them and soon they were allowed entrance into the large palace.

Looking at the palace that they could have sworn was not there just a moment ago, they brushed off any dirt that gathered on them. They leveled out how dangerous this would be to enter. They shrugged it off and decided that entering wouldn’t be a bad idea, that it couldn’t be anything they couldn’t handle.

Even though that odd armored creature did make them want to run for the metaphorical hills.

They would push on, something told them something important was here. They were going to find it. They were determined, they had a purpose. No matter how many times they woke up suddenly on a bench they would get up, they would push through. They would get it. 

It took a while more then anything else they had done, but soon buzzsaws and spikes and platforming that made Ghost feel spiteful at whoever made this obstacle course gave way to flat ground.

A room with colorful reflection dancing on the floor from stained glass on one wall. The light reflected off Ghost, and they felt like they couldn’t move without breaking the gentle and solemn silence that rested over this place.

They surveyed the area before they noticed a bug-like creature who was standing on a balcony. Ghost wasn’t close enough to make out the pale hand clouded by light grey robes holding onto the balcony’s fence just slightly tighter at them walking in.

Ghost stepped closer to the bug, curious to see if this bug was going to attack them. They were never sure of which it would be with anything since they came here. 

They were used to everything attempting to murder them from the wastes beyond any kingdom. They don’t remember the last time they were treated with any kindness or mercy. As such they were always ready to get their nail and strike down whatever threatened them. 

The first time they did that here it was fine, the second time it...It was an innocent bug that was just running away, they didn’t want it to get the jump on them. It was a stark shock that some bugs here weren’t all violent.

But that’s not here, nor now. The being on the balcony raised its head, eight prongs atop its head glinted in the pale light shining in. It didn’t even turn around before addressing the small vessel.

“Shadow, what do you come here for?” His voice sent shivers down their spine and something told them that this being was not mortal. His tone was short and impersonal, like he didn’t see the vessel as something special.

They stepped forward, walking up next to the slightly taller being to put their hands on the bar of the fence to look at the being. Something told them that the half pendant they had in their cloak would be completed with this creature's help. 

They reached into their cloak, pulling out half of the Kingsoul, their cloak fluttered in the false wind as they showed it to this pale being.

His eyes widened before narrowing just barely,”Any reason why you have this?”

Ghost slowly lowered it, feeling a bit embarrassed. Were they not supposed to have this? The White Lady gave it to them without saying anything more about how they would find the other half in the dream realm. 

They raised their other hand that was empty to slowly sign out an explanation. The being’s eyes tracked their hand, it seems he knew the common sign,”The White Lady gave this to me, said I could find the other half here.”

The being folded his hands together, and for some reason Ghost knew that he was holding back some sort of negative emotion.

“Is that so? Well she wasn’t wrong. However what do you plan to do with the completed charm.” The creature was curious, leaning down to cup the child's hand in his own to remove the half they held, running his thumb over it as he spoke.

“Do you plan on taking it back to your birthplace, ask the gods there to taint it to bring out more power within yourself by marking yourself as something shared between the kingdom and them to keep peace? Do you plan on taking out the infection? Tell me little shadow about what do you hope to achieve.”

The bug kneeled down to Ghost, who stepped back just barely. Ghost felt threatened, but they weren’t one to shy away from a challenge. They stood as tall as they could and signed,”I plan to find a way that sacrifices as little as possible.”

Ghost could have sworn the being flinched, it was just barely there. It made them feel almost bad for their choice of words. Yet...no they didn’t feel bad. Why would they feel bad? This bug is the one that they could guess was behind the crying out for help. The vessel could see him fiddle with the half in his palm.

Ghost watched as the bug reached up to around his neck, dipping his fingers below the collar and producing a similar looking half a charm. He slotted them together, and it rose out of his hands. They seemed to give off a bright white light as they knitted together once more.

The creature hands back the kingsoul back to the small vessel, looking away out of the balcony,”So this is really it isn’t it. She gave you her half of the kingsoul. I wonder if she has given up on me…”

Ghost looked up to him before approaching him, wrapping their arms around the creature. The creature jumped before pressing a hand on the vessel's head. He did not push them away. He seemed to be having a hard time with the fact the White Lady gave up her half to the small vessel.

Ghost would stay until he felt a tad bit better. And The creature shared that he was the Pale King, the old king. And what his name really was. Ghost told their own. And then Ghost had to leave. They had to continue on their journey.

And so Ghost hugged the creature softly. He seemed to not be used to touch, and soon enough Ghost let go and turned to make their way back through all the buzzsaws.

They would come back one of these days. They would come back and show that there was still room in this world for the Pale King. For Paltiel.

And with that they continued their journey. They made their way to the door they saw with the kingsbrand on it. When they had approached the doors shattered and disintegrated, getting absorbed into the floor below. 

Ghost stepped forward and looked down into the abyss below. The darkness seemed to stare back, then two bright, glowing eyes. Then a sound that made their void ripple in fear was made as a shadowy hand reached out, grabbing Ghost by the neck and dragging them into the depths below.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we have met the Pale Wyrm!!!! :D


End file.
